Protective packing means for articles having finished surfaces



Feb. 26 ,1924; fi,,895

. E. w. McMULLEN PROTEC TIVE PACKING MEANS FOR ARTICLES HAVING FINISHED SURFACES Filed April. 1 1922 meifi [ark P17. ZVCJYZLZZQR Patented Feb. 2%, ifizd.

EAELE W. MGMULLEN, OF KEN'OSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIG-NOR TO SIMMONS COMPANY, OEKENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAXVARE.

PROTECTIVE PACKING MEANS FOR ARTICLES HAVING FINISHED SURFACES.

Application flied April 17, 1922.

To all whom it may conccm:

Be it known that I, EARLE W. MoMULLnN,

a citizen of the United States residing at Kenosha, in the county of iienosha and a State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protective Packing Means for Articles Having Finished Surfaces, of which 'i declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention, while susceptible of more extended application, is primarily designed for use in connection with means for packaging bedstead frames invented by George B. Alleman and Mathias J. Joachim.

The object of my invention is to provide an extremely simple and effective means for enabling finished articles or parts of articles to be packed so that the enamel or like finish of said parts cannot become chafed or marred incident to handling or transit from the manufacturer to the consumer. It relates particularly to an article finished with a siccative coating such as varnish, paint or enamel. I use the term siccative as including coatings, the chemical composition of which changes during the drying, either by oxidation or otherwise.

In packing articles, such for example, as bedstead frames, the surfaces of which have been given a high degree of finish and hence are subject to be readily scratched or marred, great difficulty has been encountered in preserving the finish. Where it has been attempted to hold the finished articles to be packed so that they will not contact with each other, or with the walls of the container by means of positioning strips, blocks or clamps, it has been found that such strips, blocks or clamps under certain conditions mar the enamel or like finish of the articles. Attempts have been made to overcome this by placing between the positioning member and the finished article, a sheet of felt, porous paper or the like soft material; but in practice this has not always been successful because the fibers of such porous material are apt to adhere to, embed in or chafe the delicate surface of the finish, especially where the package must be stored in a warm lace.

p I have discovered that the danger of in- Serial No. 553,860.

jury to the finished siccative coating of the article to be packed can be overcome by interposing between such article andthe positioning member, a film of non-siccative, nonhygroscopic, non-oxidizing, non-porous, lacquer forming solid material chemically and physically stable under the atmospheric conditions to be encountered. I use the term lacquer as including substances which may be dissolved in a suitable solvent and which will dry by mere evaporation of solvent without chemical change such as is due to the oxidizing effect of the atmosphere. The most desirable materials which I have thus far found to answer these requirements are compounds containing cellulose as a base and particularly celluloid, A film of cotton lacquer is another example of a satisfactory material. Other compounds, which, in some cases may be used to advantage, are certain phenol condensation products, such as bakelite.

The film of such material may be applied to the positioning member directly by spraying a solution of the lacquer on the contacting surface of the member, or it may be used in the form of a separate sheet interposed between the member and the finished article. Said sheet can be made by applying a coating of the lacquer to a sheet of paper or analogous substance, or a thin sheet of the material itselfcan be used.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention as embodied in a device for clamping in spaced relation two members of a bedstead frame constructed of steel tubing. Figure 2 is a view in central vertical longitudinal section through the clamping member on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, A-

and A designate portions of two parts of the bedstead frame such for example as form the end posts of the frame members, these parts A and A having their exterior surfaces finished with a siccative coating such as paint or varnish as is customary with articles of this character. The parts A and A are held in spaced relation with respect to each other,that is to say, spaced apart so that their surfaces cannot touch each other nor touch the container within which the parts may be packed, by a positioning strip or block, preferably a sectional parts A and A.

clam which as shown is formed of two members B and B. Each of the clamp members B and B has its inner face formed with seats or recesses Z), the distance between these recesses 5 being determined by the tongues 72 of the members B nd B between said recesses. Preferably, the clamp members B and B are formed of wood or some such light material and through the members B and B are formed coincident holes I) through which will pass a bolt C that serves to securely hold the members together and in position upon the bed frame parts A and A. Y

One clamping member B is preferably formed with a recess 5 at the end of its hole 6 to receive the'head 0 of the bolt the opposite end of the bolt being shown as provided with a retaining nut 0, although if preferred, the threaded end of the bolt might be formed as a screw to enter a hole in the lower member B of the clamp.

Between the members B and B of the clamp and the parts A. and it held thereby are placed my improved linings D, in the present instance thin sheets of celluloid. These lining sheets D, when the clamp mem bers B and B are in position for use as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, conform to the outline of the finished surfaces of the parts A. and A and to the surfaces of the recesses Z) wherein such parts are held.

In carrying out my invention in the specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawing, each sheet of celluloid D is preferably of such length that when flat or extended it will considerably overlap both recesses of one of the clamp members B or B and completely line such recesses after the tubular parts A and A have been placed in position and have caused the celluloid sheet to conform to the surfaces of the recesses 3). Before the parts A andil are placed in position; the surfaces of the celluloid sheets are preferably dusted with a fine anti-friction powder such as talc, soapstone or the like. The celluloid sheets D should be of such width as to project slightly beyond the vertical side walls of the members B and B, as shown in the drawing; After the parts A; and A. have been placed in position between the clamp members B and B. the bolt C will be insertedthrough the holes Z2 and the nut 0 will be placed upon the lower threaded end of the bolt C, so that by turning the bolt C the members B and B may be drawn together in order to tightly bind the sheets D upon the surfaces of the It will be observed that the bolt C passes not only through the members B and B, but also through the celluloid sheets D, the bolt thus serving to hold the sheets D in position against danger of accidental displacement. It will thus be seen that by the use of my invention, the parts incense A and A are so positioned that their finished surfaces cannotbe injured either by contact with the clamping members B and B or by contact with each other 'or with the walls, of the receptacle wherein the parts may be packed. V 1

While my invention is illustrated in the drawing as embodied in'nieans especially designed for the packing of parts of a bedstead frame, it is obvious that within the scope of the invention there may be various other embodiments of the-inventionadapting it for use in connection with the packing of many other articles having surfaces finished with asicc ative coating. So, also, it is manifest that the form and relation of the clamping members or spacing strips or blocks that may be used for holding the lining material may b widely varied according to the precise character or arrangement of the articles to be packed.

1 claim as my invention: V

1. A protective packing for. an article finished with a siccative' coating comprising means for positioning said article and a lining arranged to contact with the finished surface of the article and interposed between the article and the positioning means, said lining comprising a film of lacquerforming solid material. i

2. A. protective packing for an article finished with a siccative coating comprising means for positioning said article and a lining arranged to contactwith the finished surface of the article and interposedbesurface of the article and interposed between V.

the article and the positioning means, said lining comprising a film of a solid compound containin'g cellulose as a base.

at. A protective packing for an article finished witha siccative coating comprising means for positioning said article and a lining arranged to contact wth the finished surface of the article and interposed between the article and'the positioning means, said lining comprising a film of celluloid.

5. A packing clamp for an article finished with a siccative coating-comprising a clamp- .ing block for holding said article in position and a linng comprising a film or comound with a cellulose base ada ted to con- P tact with the finished surface of the article and interposed between the article and the clamp.

'6. A packing clamp for an article finished with a siccative coating comprising a clamping block for holding said article in position the article and the positioning means, said and a lining comprising a film of celluloid. lining comprising a moisture proof film of 7. A protective packing for an article lacquer-forming solid material and a dust- 10 finished with a siocative coating comprising ing of anti-friction powder interposed be 5 means for positioning said article and a tween said film and Send article.

lining arranged to contact with the finished surface of the article and interposed between EARLE W. MOMULLEN. 

